Bracket support structure



April 28, 1964 w, SHELL BRACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 14, 1962 INVENR. Iavnqe W. SHELL I ATTYS.

April 28, 1964 l. w. SHELL 3,130,693

BRACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed March 14, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. IRVING W. SHELL M I 1 A-rrvs.

April 28, 1964 l. w. SHELL BRACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed March 14, 1962 INVENTOR. Ievme W- SHELL April 1964 l. w. SHELL3,130,693

BRACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed March 14, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 T H -41F .20 449: 5| 44 2b 43% I 3 I 54 53 l hull g Y INVENTOR.

lrevme w. SHELL h/ 3A A'r'rvs.

United States PatentCl 3,130,693 BRACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURE Irving W.Shell, 442 W. Wellington, Chicago 14, Ill. Filed Mar. 14, 1962, Ser. No.179,708 14 Claims. (Cl. 108108) The present invention relates to bracketsupport structure which, for example, has utility for supportingshelving of the type used frequently in supermarkets for displaying foodand other articles either along walls or in the middle of the floor.

The shelving in supermarkets and the like are commonly supported frombrackets extending from slotted uprights. Where the shelving is locatedat a point spaced from the walls of the room, the uprights formpart ofashelf supporting structure where the uprights contact the floor to formpoints of support for the structure. The uprights are usually providedwith forwardly projecting leg units which form additional points ofsupport spaced from the uprights. These leg units commonly havehorizontally forwardly extending elevated portions welded to the bottomportions of the associated uprights and terminating in depending frontportions which contact the floor. Horizontal frame members extendbetween the uprights and the front and middle portions of the leg unitsto provide a stable and rigid support structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bracket supportstructure of the type described above which is self supporting and ismade of small compact and sturdy parts which can be readily assembledpreferably without the need for screws, bolts or the like with a minimumof effort. A related object of the invention is to provide bracketsupport structures as just described wherein the uprights, leg units andframe members are completely separate units before setup of thestructure and so can be readily stored in a minimum of space and can beshipped and handled with a minimum of effort. A still further relatedobject of the invention is to provide bracket support structure as justdescribed wherein all of the uprights, leg units and frame members areconstructed to form either right or left hand members, thereby reducingthe number of different parts out of which the structure is made.

Still another object of the invention is to provide bracket supportstructure as above described which is of relatively simple andeconomical construction.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide bracketsupport structure as described above wherein the elevation of the legunits and the uprights can be readily adjusted at any time.

Another object of the invention is to provide shelf support structurewhere the shelving comprises spaced brackets having hooked extensionsadapted to hook into slots in a pair of uprights, the uprights beingdesigned to accommodate right and left hand shelf assemblies at any oneof a number of selected elevations, and including means for tieingtogether the adjacent shelf assemblies so that the two are maintained atprecisely the same elevation even though they are supporting differentweights which would normally result in different deflections of theshelf assemblies. A related'object of the invention is to provide ashelf support structure as just described wherein the adjacent shelfassemblies are so designed that they can receive price card receivingmoldings which can be mounted in abutment, so that a neat appearance isprovided without the use of masking elements for masking the spacesbetween the moldings.

Other objects of the invention, and the features thereof whichaccomplish the various objectives of the invention, will be apparentfrom a reading of the specification to follow, the claims and thedrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of bracket support strucice tureincorporating the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the structure ofFIG. 1 illustrating particularly the construction of the shelfassemblies forming a part thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view show.- ing the bottom ofan outer upright, a leg unit detachably connected thereto, and coverplates which are attached to the leg unit shown therein;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the center portionof the structure shown in FIG. 1, showing the manner in which contiguousshelf units and horizontal frame members are related respectively to thecenter upright and center leg unit;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 5 showing the differentelements therein detached from the upright and leg unit;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view through thecenter upright and a shelf unit and leg unit supported thereby;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line38 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line9-9 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line1010 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 10 showing the mannerin which a shelf assembly tie key is inserted into the contiguous slotsof contiguous shelf units;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view through aleg unit and the associated upright showing the manner in which the legunit is detachably secured to the upright;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective sectional view through one of theuprights forming the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 13A is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the rear portionof a leg unit which detachably connects with the portion of the uprightshown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyalong the line 1414 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyalong the line 1515 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View, taken substantiallyalong the line 1616 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, taken substantiallyalong the line 17-17 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one of theshelf assemblies showing the manner in which the price card receivingmolding is supported thereon;

FIG. 19 is a transverse sectional view through an upright and shelf unitwith a shelf inclining attachment interposed between the upright and theshelf unit to incline the latter with respect to the horizontal;

FIG. 20 is a view of the shelf inclining attachment shown in FIG. 19.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shelf structure is shown including aself-supporting frame 1 including three laterally spaced identicalhollow uprights generally indicated by reference numeral 2. Each of theuprights preferably has a rectangular form (FIG. 13) with relativelynarrow outwardly facing walls Za-Za, a bridging side wall 2b extendingbetween corresponding side margins of the outer walls 2a-2a, and narrow,coplanar side walls or flanges Zc-Zc extending inwardly from the otherside margins of the outer walls. The confronting edges of the flangesare spaced apart to form a relatively large vertical opening 5. Each ofthe uprights 2 is adapted to form either a left hand, right hand orintermediate upright. When an upright is placed at one end of the shelfstructure, it is oriented so that the bridging walls 2b faces outwardlyto form a finished side wall surface.

Each of the outer walls 2a-2a of each of the uprights are identicallyslotted, there being two types of slots. One type comprises verticalbracket-receiving slots 2d (FIG. 7) which are spaced along most of theheight of the upright starting from a position spaced above the bottomthereof. The other type of slots are leg unit-receiving slots generallyindicated by reference numeral 2e which are located near the bottom ofeach of the uprights. One unique and important feature of the inventionrelates to the relationship of these slots to the horizontally extendingleg units 4 and to a locking pin to be described which results in thesecure attachment of the leg units 4 to either or both of the outerwalls 2a, without the need of bolts or screws.

Each leg unit 4 like each upright 2 is uniquely designed to be used atany position in the shelf structure. The .bottom portions of theuprights and the leg units are tied together by means of speciallydesigned frame members to be described of three different types. Onetype is a rear or inner horizontal frame member 6 (FIG. 4) which extendsbetween a pair of the uprights and the inner portions of a pair of theleg units; another type is an intermediate horizontal frame member 8which. extends between a pair of leg units; and a third type is a frontor outer horizontal frame member 19 which extends between the outer endsof a pair of the leg units. The front frame members 10 are designed toreceive a shelf and price card receiving molding strip 12. A bottomshelf 14 is held in place by the molding strip 12 in a manner to bedescribed.

Extending between the outer portions of each pair of uprights is avertical backing panel 16. The shelf structure is adapted to supportshelving on either or both the front and rear sides thereof asillustrated by the dotted configuration of shelving shown in FIG. 2.When shelving is supported from both the front and rear sides of theshelf structure, the structure has a perfect longitudinal symmetry asillustrated in FIG. 2. In such case, a pair of the panels 16 are usedwhich are respectively adjacent the outer walls 2a-2a of the uprights 2.The structure is so designed that the vertical panels 1616 are heldsecurely in place by the wedging action of the bottom shelves 1414 andthe other shelves to be described.

The shelf structure supports lower and upper shelf units indicated byreference numerals 18a and 18b, respectively. The shelf structureillustrated in the drawings is a pyramid type where the lower shelfunits 18a are wider than the upper shelf units 18b. Each shelf unitincludes a pair of end brackets war-26a or 2ilb20b having a. lengthcorresponding to the width of the associated shelf unit. Horizontalshelf supporting channel members 22 and 24 are welded or otherwisesecured between each pair of end brackets, there being illustrated threemembers 22 spaced rearwardly of the outer ends of each shelf unit at thesame elevation and a front frame member 24 which is at a lower elevationthan the frame members 22. Each of the end brackets 20 is a sheet metalstamping having a pair of vertically spaced rearwardly extending hookedextensions 21 and 23 which are substantially identical to the design ofthe hooked extensions of the bracket disclosed in copending applicationSerial No. 835,469, filed August 24, 1959 The upper hooked extension 21hooks upwardly and the bottom hooked extension 23 hooks downwardly.These hooked extensions are adapted to extend into and interlock withthe defining walls of a pair of the bracket-receiving slots 2d of theuprights. The latter upright slots preferably have a width which isslightly greater than twice the width of the hooked extensions of thebrackets so that two brackets can be placed in the same slot 2d. The endbrackets 2t)a-2tla or 2tl b2tb of each of the shelf units are spacedapart a distance such that the hooked extensions thereof extendrespectively into the right half of the slot 2d of a left hand uprightand the left half of a slot 2d of a right hand upright. In this way,contiguous shelf units can be supported at the same elevation incontiguous relation sharing the same slot 2d of a common upright, suchas the intermediate upright shown in FIG. 1. Means to be described areprovided for tieing together the shelf units sharing a common slot 2d sothat two shelf units will have the same elevation even when they supportdifferent weights causing different deflections of the end portions ofthe shelf units.

The end brackets Zita-2hr: or 2t3b2tlb and the front frame member 24 ofeach shelf unit are designed to receive a shelf supporting and pricecard receiving molding strip 12 which is similar in many respects to themolding unit 12 used with the bottom shelf 14. Due to certain designfeatures of the shelf units to be described, the molding strips l2- l2'of a pair of shelf units supported at the same elevation can be broughtinto abutment to form an almost invisible joint therebetween. Eachmolding strip retains the front edge portion of a shelf 26a or 26b, therear edge thereof being braced against the associated vertical panel 16to aid in holding the panel securely in place.

Each of the leg units and the uprights have elevation adjusting means tobe described secured to the bottoms thereof and by means of which theelevation of the shelf structure can be readily adjusted at any time.The elevation adjusting means includes adjustable headed screws 30 (FIG.7) to which access may be had through the aforementioned opening 5 inthe side of each upright and through an opening 4:: in each of the legunits (FlGS. 3 and 12).

To present a neat appearance, the various exposed edges of the shelfstructure are covered over by various cover units. For example, theouter edges of all of the molding strips 12 associated with the shelfunits are covered by identical individual snap-on cover units 32 havinga centered hooked extension 32 which can snap into a slot 25 in theforward end portions of any end bracket 20a or 26b. Side covers plates33-33 have hooked extensions 3333 which snap into slots in the sides ofthe leg units to cover the open sides of the leg units and also the rawedges of the lower molding strips 12. Front cover plates 35 extendingbetween each pair of leg units have hooked extensions 3535 which snapinto slots 4g in the forward walls of a pair of leg units to cover overthe spaces between the lower shelf 14 and the floor. Top plates 37 areprovided which extend between and rest upon the tops of each pair ofuprights and overlap the panels 16.

When it is desired to adjust the angle of inclination of the variousshelf units 13a and 18b, individual attachment members 39 to bedescribed (FIGS. 19 and 20) are interposed between the uprights 2 andthe hooked extensions 21 and 23 of the various brackets 2% and 2%.

Now that the elements of the frame structure of the present inventionhave been broadly introduced, the unique structural features thereofwill now be described in detail.

Refer now more particularly to FIG. 13 which shows the details of theleg unit-receiving slots 2e in the bottom portion of each of theuprights 2. As there shown, each of the outer walls 2a of the uprighthave two vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced slots 2e-1 and2e-1 and 2e2 and 2e-2 located adjacent to the side margins of the wall.The upper portions of the upper pair of slots 2e-1 and 22-1 intersect apair of laterally facing and horizontally aligned opening 2f2frespectively formed at the outer margins of the bridging wall 221 and inthe adjacent flange 20. As will appear, the aligned openings 2f-2f areadapted to receive a pin 40 which, in accordance with the preferred formof the invention, carries out two important functions, namely lockingthe associated leg unit in place on the upright and supporting the rearhorizontal frame member 6 on one or both sidesv of the upright.

Each of the leg units comprises a channel member having a horizontallyextending elevated portion 4b with laterally spaced vertical side Walls4b-1 and 4b-1, and a bridging top wall 417-2, and a dependingfloor-engaging portion 4c having vertical side walls 40-1 and 40-1 inthe same plane as the side walls 4b-1 and 4b-1, and a front wall 4c2which inclines downwardly and rearwardly to form a tapered leg. Thecontiguous edges of the side walls 411-1 and 4c-1 are welded together toform a sturdy, integral, bracing leg structure. When each of the bracinglegs are mounted in place, the outer surfaces of the side walls 4b-1 and40-1 are respectively flush with the sides 2b and 2c of the associatedupright 2.

A hook-forming insert member 4d is welded or otherwise secured to theinside of the rear portion of each leg unit, the insert member 4d havingtwo vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced depending hookedextensions 4d-1 and 4d-1 and 4d-2 and 4d2 which are respectively adaptedto extend into and interlock with the defining walls of thecorrespondingly spaced slots 2e-1 and 2e-1 and 2e-2 and 2e-2 in thebottom of the associated upright. The height of each of the hookedextensions 4d1 and 4d-2 is slightly less than the height of thecorresponding upright slots 26-1 and 2e2 but, due to the slots formingthe necks of the hooked extensions which contact the bottom edges of theassociated upright slots, the hooked extensions in their mountedpositions occupy only the lower portions of the upright slots 2e-1 and2e-2. The upper edges of the upper hooked extensions 4d-1 and 4d-1 arethen immediately below the lower level of the laterally facing openings2f2f. Consequently, when pin 40 is press-fitted within the alignedopenings 2f-2f of the upright, the pin will overlie the upper edges ofthe upper hooked extensions 4d1 and 4d-1 to prevent removal of thehooked extensions from the associated upright slots. For reasons to beexplained, each of the pins 40 has a length substantially greater thanthe width of the associated upright, so that the pin can be selectivelycentered in the aligned openings 2;f2f where they project laterallybeyond both sides of the upright (FIG. 14) or, alternatively, so thatthe pin is flush with the outer side of the upright and projects waybeyond the inner side wall or flange 2c thereof (dotted line position ofFIG. 14).

Each leg unit has a number of slots formed therein for detachablyreceiving the hooked extensions of various elements of the framestructure. Thus, pairs of slots 4e4e are positioned at different pointsalong opposite sides of the horizontally extending portion 4b of eachleg unit. Each of these slots extends through one of the corners of theleg unit at the intersection of the bridging top wall 4b2 and a sidewall 4b1 thereof. Two pairs of the slots 4e-4e are located adjacent therear of the leg unit, two pairs of the slots are located at the centralportion of the leg unit, and two pairs of the slots are locatedcontiguous to the front end of the leg unit. The side cover plates 33-33have hooked extensions which extend into the forwardmost of the rearpairs of slots 4e and the rearwardmost of the front pairs of slots.

Each leg unit further has a pair of horizontally aligned pin-receivingopenings 4f4f at the juncture of the side walls 411-1 and 4c-1. A pin 40is press-fitted within the aligned openings 4f-4f of each leg unit sothat it projects equally beyond both sides of the leg unit where thelatter is associated with an intermediate upright 2, and so that itprojects only beyond the inner side of the leg unit where the latter isassociated with an outer upright 2. The front wall 4c-2 of each leg unitis provided with a pair of vertically spaced slots 4g-4g which receivethe hooked extensions of the front cover plate 35.

The portions of the pins 40 projecting beyond the sides of the uprights2 and the leg units 4 act as supports for the rear and front framemembers 6 and 10 which extend between contiguous pairs of the uprightsand the leg units. Each rear frame member 6 has a horizontal shelfsupport wall 6a whose rear portion restson the upper surface of a pin40, a rear upstanding bracing wall 6b and a front depending bracing wall60. The opposite ends of the depending wall 6c terminate in a pair ofprojecting, depending hooks 6d-6d which are adapted to extend into theconfronting, rearwardmost leg unit slots 4e-4e of a contiguous pair ofleg units. When the hooks 6d6d are fully in engagement with the definingwalls of the slots 4e-4e, the rear portion of the shelf support wall 6aof the frame member 6 will rest upon the projecting portion of a pair ofthe pins 40 and the shelf support wall 6a will be level with thebridging top walls 4b-2 and 4b-2 of the leg units involved. The framemember walls 6a and 6b respectively will be in contact with the sides ofthe contiguous pairs of upright and leg units involved to brace thestructure in a lateral direction to aid in forming a rigid framestructure.

The intermediate frame members 8 extending between the middle portionsof a contiguous pair of leg units are channel members having a pair ofdepending hooked extensions Sa-Sa projecting from the ends of theflanges thereof and respectively extending into a pair of the slots 4e4ein the leg units.

Each of the front or outer frame members 10 extending between a pair ofthe leg units has a top support wall 10a which terminates at the frontin a depending wall 10b which, in turn, terminates in a forwardly andupwardly inclined lip 100. The lip 10c and the depending wall 1012together form a channel for supporting the molding strip 12 to bedescribed. Each front frame member 10 has a rear depending Wall 10dwhich has at the opposite ends thereof a pair of projecting dependinghooked extensions Tile-10a adapted respectively to extend into theforwardmost confronting slots 4e-4e of the associated pair of leg units.When the hooked extensions 10e10e are fully in engagement with thedefining Walls of the slots 4e4e, the forward portion of the supportwall 10a rests upon the projecting end portions of a pair of pins 40 atthe forward ends of the pair of leg units involved. The support wall 10ain the fully mounted position of the frame member 10 is at an elevationslightly below the top surfaces of the bridging walls 417-2 and 4b2 ofthe associated pair of leg units.

Since the leg units have corresponding slots 4e on both sides thereof,each leg unit is adapted to support frame members 6, 3 and 10 on eitherside thereof.

As previously indicated, each of the front frame members 10 is adaptedto support a shelf holding and card receiving molding strip 12. Eachmolding strip comprises a downwardly and outwardly inclining front wall12a which forms an open ended channel into which a price card may beslipped. The molding strip further has a depending flange 12b whichenters the channel formed by the channel-forming walls 10b and of thefront frame member 10, as best shown in FIG. 7. The molding stripfurther has a pair of rearwardly extending and vertically spacedshelf-receiving wall extensions 12c-12d. These two walls form a channelfor receiving the forward edge of the shelf 14. The top surface of thebottom wall extension 120, the shelf support wall 6a of the rear framemember 6, and the intermediate frame member 8 are all in the samehorizontal plane so that the shelf 14 will be horizontal.

As previously indicated, the uprights and the leg units are providedwith elevation adjusting means including adjustable headed scerws 30.Each of these screws has a threaded shank 30a having ascrewdriver-receiving slot in the top thereof, and a floor-engaging head30b at the bottom thereof. The threaded shank of each screw threadsthrough a threaded opening 41 in a horizontal plate assembly 42 whichcarries the bottom end of the associated upright or the floor-engagingportion of 4c of the associated leg unit. Each of the plate assemblies42 comprises a base plate 43 having upwardly extending lips 43a-43a and43b-43b on the opposite sides thereof.

The ends of the lips 43a and 43b are spaced from each other to provideclearance slots for the passage of the vertical walls of the uprightsand the leg units. When positioned beneath one of the uprights, theouter upright walls 2a-2a extend on the outside of the base plate 43 asshown in FIG. 17, and the bridging wall 21) and the planges 2c2c extendbetween the slots defined by the spaced ends of the lips 43a and 43b ofthe base plate To adapt each plate assembly 43 for use on the bottom ofa leg unit, an inner plate member 44 is secured as by welding to the topof the base plate 43, which plate member has a pair of parallelupstanding lips 44a-44a along a pair of opposite sides thereof, the lips44a44a being spaced inwardly from the lips 43b43b of the base plate 43to form narrow channels for receiving the side walls 4c-1 and 40-1 ofthe forward depending portion 4c of each leg unit, as shown in FIG. 16.The outer wall 4c-2 of each leg unit in such event passes around theouter edges of the lips ida-44a of the inner plate member 44.

The elevation of the leg units is varied by passing the shank of thescrewdriver through the opening 4a in the top of each leg unit,inserting the end of the screwdriver into the screwdriver-receiving slotat the top of the associated screw 30 and turning the same. Theelevation of the screw uprights is adjusted by passing the shank of thescrewdriver through the vertical opening 5 in each upright, insertingthe end of the screwdriver into the slot in the top of the associatedscrew, and turning the same.

The shelf units 18a and 18b previously briefly described have twoimportant unique features which relate to the design of the end brackets20 thereof and their relationship to the shelf holding and price cardreceiving molding strips 12'. These features relate to support ofcontiguous shelf units at the same elevation. Frequently, the Weightsupported by such contiguous shelf units is sufliciently different thatdeflection of one shelf unit will be somewhat different than the other.In order to tie two shelf units together so that the two remain at thesame elevation independently of the weights of the articles supportedthereby, the end brackets Zita and 20b of the shelf units are providedwith horizontally extending and aligned slots 2525. Extending throughthe slots 2525 of confronting end brackets 2a2tla or Nib-20b is a flatkey member 27 shown most clearly in FIG. 10. Each key member has anarrow shank portion 27a with a width approximately equal to that of theslots 25 and a length approximately equal to the spacing between theouter faces of the end brackets. One end of the shank portion 27a ofeach key member terminates in a laterally extending wing 27b having alength greater than the slots 25 and adapted to be grasped and turned byan operator, and the other end terminating in a wing 270 in the sameplane as the wing 27b and having a length no greater than the length ofthe key-receiving slots 25. In one position of the key member as shownin FIG. 11, the shorter wing 270 can be passed through the alignedkey-receiving slots 25 to bring the handle forming wing 27b against theouter surface of the adjacent bracket. Then, the key member can beturned approximately 90 where the contiguous bracket becomes wedged inthe space between the wings of the key member, as shown in FIG. 10. Thetwo shelf units are thereby held at the same elevation through themedium of the key member.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the endportion of each of the brackets 20a or 2017 has a cut-away portionproviding a depressed upper edge 26. One end of each front frame member24 of each shelf unit is welded or otherwise secured around the forwardedge of an end bracket Ztla or 20b, the upper end thereof terminatingshort of a shoulder 27' on the bracket to provide a space or channelbetween the rear edge of the frame member 24 and the shoulder 27. Thischannel receives a depending lip or flange 12a on the rear of theassociated shelf holding and price card receiving molding strip 12', thedefining walls of the channel retaining the molding strip on the framemember 24 and enabling the molding strip of contiguous shelf units to bebrought into abutment. Each molding strip 12' has a pair of verticallyspaced rearwardly extending wall extensions 12c and 12d which provides achannel for receiving the forward edge portion of the associated shelf26a or 26b. The upper surface of the wall extension 12c is level withthe top surfaces of the shelf unit frame members 22 so that the shelf issupported in a perfectly horizontal position within the channel formedby the wall extensions 12c and 12d. Each molding strip 12' further has adownwardly and forwardly projecting portion 121) which forms an openended channel into which a price card may be slid as in the case of themolding strip 12. Also, the molding strip 12' has a depending wall orflange 122 which abuts against the outer frame member 24.

If it becomes desirable to support the shelf units at an angle to thehorizontal, this may be readily achieved by means of a simple insertmember 39 (FIGS. 19 and 20) which is insertable between each upright andthe end bracket of a shelf unit. This insert member may be a fiat sheetmetal stamping having a pair of rearwardly extending hook extensions 51and 53 corresponding to the hooks 21 and 23 of each of the brackets 20aor 20b. A pair of hook-shaped slots 52 and 54 are respectively formed inthe front edge of the insert member which conform to the shape of thehooked extensions 21 and 23 at the rear end of each of the brackets 20aor 20b and are spaced along a line inclined at an angle corresponding tothe desired angle of inclination of the shelf units. It can thus be seenthat a pair of insert members 39-419 can be mounted in place between apair of uprights 2-2 and end brackets of a shelf unit by inserting thehooked extensions 51 and 53 of a pair of insert members into the slotsof a pair of uprights and the hooked bracket extensions 21 and 23 of apair of end brackets into the correspondingly sized slots 52 and 54 ofthe insert members.

Thus, the present invention has provided a very simple and economicalknock-down frame structure with a minimum of different parts which canbe readily assembled and disassembled without the need for any screws,bolts and the like.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made in thepreferred form of the invention described above without deviating fromthe broader aspects of the present invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a bracket support frame structure including laterally spaced,floor-engaging bracket supporting uprights having a bracket supportingfront wall and side walls extending rearwardly from the side margins ofthe front wall, and frame members connected between said uprights, theimprovement comprising: a leg unit removably attached to each of saiduprights and extending forwardly therefrom and having a floor-engagingportion at the front end thereof, the rear ends of each of said legunits having at least one pair of laterally spaced depending hookedextensions, the bracket supporting upright associated with each leg unithaving laterally spaced slots for said hooked extensions in the frontwall thereof, said hooked extension of each leg unit projecting intoassociated upright slots and interlocking with the defining walls of thelower margins thereof, and means preventing the removal of the hookedextensions of each leg unit from the associated upright slots comprisinga pair of horizontally aligned, laterally facing pin-receiving openingsin the side walls of each of said uprights adjacent the front wallthereof, and a retainer pin passing through the aligned pin-receivingopenings of each upright immediately above the associated hookedextensions of the associated leg unit to prevent the removal thereoffrom the associated upright slots.

2. In a bracket support frame structure including laterally spacedfioor-engaging bracket supporting uprights having a bracket supportingfront wall and side walls extending rearwardly from the side margins ofthe front wall, and frame members connected between said uprights, theimprovement comprising: a leg unit removably attached to each of saiduprights and extending forwardly therefrom and having a floor-engagingportion at the front end thereof, the rear ends of each of said legunits having two vertically spaced pairs of laterally spaced dependinghooked extensions, the bracket supporting upright associated with eachleg unit having two vertically spaced pairs of laterally spaced slotsfor said hooked extensions and of greater height than the height of saidhooked extensions, the two pairs of hooked extensions of each leg unitprojecting intothe associated upright slots and interlocking with thedefining walls of the lower margins thereof, and means preventing theremoval of the hooked extensions of each leg unit from the associatedupright slots comprising a pair of horizontally aligned, laterallyfacing pin-receiving openings in the side walls of each upright adjacentthe front wall of the associated upright, and a retainer pin passingthrough each pair of aligned pin-receiving openings immediately abovethe associated hooked extensions of the associated leg unit to preventthe removal thereof from the associated upright slots.

3. In a bracket support frame structure including laterally spacedfloor-engaging bracket supporting uprights having a bracket supportingfront wall therein and side walls extending rearwardly from the sidemargins of the front wall, and frame members connected between saiduprights, the improvement comprising: a leg unit removably attached toeach of said uprights and extending forwardly therefrom, each of saidleg units comprising a horizontally extending portion having a pair oflaterally spaced vertical side walls and a bridging top wall extendingbetween the upper margins of said side walls, and a floor-engagingportion at the front end of said horizontally extending portion, saidhorizontally extending portion having correspondingly sized andpositioned hook-receiving slots on each side thereto to form right orleft hand leg units, each slot extending through one of the corners ofthe leg unit at the intersection of said bridging and side wallsthereof, frame members extending between the leg units attached to saiduprights and having hooks on the ends thereof extending into andinterlocking with the defining walls of said leg unit slots, the rearends of each of said leg units having two vertically spaced pairs oflaterally spaced depending hooked extensions, the upright associatedwith each leg unit having two vertically spaced having slots thereinadjacent to said uprights exposing upwardly facing edges of said sidewalls thereof, a horizontally inner frame member detachably positionedbetween said uprights adjacent the bottom ends thereof, the end edges ofthe inner frame member engaging and bracing the confronting side wallsof said uprights, said inner frame member having depending hook-formingextensions which pass into said leg unit slots and engage the upwardlyfacing edges of said leg unit side walls.

5. A knock-down bracket support structure comprising: a pair oflaterally spaced hollow uprights each having laterally facing side wallsand a slotted outer wall for supporting brackets extending from thefront of the upright,

leg units detachably secured at their inner ends to the pairs oflaterally spaced slots for said hooked extensions,

the two pairs of hooked extensions of each leg unit projecting into theassociated upright slots and interlocking with the defining walls of thelower margins thereof, and means preventing the removal of the hookedextensions of each leg unit from the associated upright slots comprisinga pair of horizontally aligned, laterally facing pinreceiving openingsin the side walls of each upright adjacent the front wall of theassociated upright, and a retainer pin passing through each pair ofaligned pinreceiving openings immediately above the associated hookedextensions of the associated leg unit to prevent the removal thereoffrom the associated upright slots.

4. A knock-down bracket support structure comprising: a pair oflaterally spaced hollow uprights each having laterally facing side wallsand a slotted outer wall for supporting brackets extending from thefront of the upright, leg units detachably secured at their inner endsto the bottom portions of said uprights, each of said leg units having ahorizontal top support wall extending transversely from the outer wallof the associated upright, and

depending side walls, the top support wall of each leg unit bottomportions of said uprights, each of said leg units having a horizontaltop support wall extending transversely from the outer wall of theassociated upright, and depending side walls, the top support wall ofeach leg unit having slots therein adjacent to said uprights exposing upwardly facing edges of said side walls thereof, a horizontal inner framemember detachably positioned between said uprights adjacent the bottomends thereof, said frame member having a horizontal shelf support wallterminating flush with the horizontal top support wall of said leg unitsand at the rear in an upstanding bracing wall and at the front in adepending bracing wall, the edges of the upstanding bracing wall of theinner frame member engaging and bracing the confronting side walls ofsaid uprights and the end edges of said horizontal shelf support wall ofthe inner frame member engaging and bracing the confronting side wallsof said leg units, the ends of said depending bracing wall of the innerframe member having depending hook-forming extensions which pass intosaid leg unit slots and engage the upwardly facing edges of said legunit side walls.

6. A knock-down bracket support structure comprising: a pair oflaterally spaced hollow uprights each having laterally facing side wallsand an outer wall for supporting brackets extending from the front ofthe upright, a leg unit extending transversely from the outer wall ofeach upright and secured at its inner end to the bottom portion of theupright, a horizontal inner frame member detachably positioned betweensaid uprights and having end edges extending between and bracing saiduprights adjacent the bottom ends thereof and a horizontal shelf supportwall flush with the top of said leg units, a horizontal outer framemember secured between the corresponding outer end portions of said legunits, and having channelforming means thereon said outer frame memberfurther including a top support wall positioned slightly below the planeof the top of said leg units, shelf retaining means secured to saidouter frame member by depending flange means thereon fitting into thechannel of said channel forming means, said shelf retaining means havingvertically spaced rearwardly projecting wall extensions forming ashelf-receiving channel therein, the top surface of the bottom of saidwall extensions being flush with the top of the associated leg units,and a shelf having a front [edge portion in said shelf-receiving channeland a rear portion resting on said shelf support wall of said innerframe member and side portions resting on the top of said leg units.

7. Shelf bracket support structure comprising: three spaced andlaterally aligned hollow uprights each of which is capable of formingeither a right or left hand upright for supporting shelving on eitherside thereof, each of said uprights comprising a pair of laterallyfacing side walls and a front wall having vertically spaced slotstherein, at least one pair of shelf units, one of said shelf unitshaving a pair of brackets with bracket support extensions projectinginto corresponding slots in one of the outer uprights and the centralupright, the other shelf unit having a pair of brackets with bracketsupport extensions extending into corresponding slots in the other outerupright and the central upright, the bracket support extensions being inthe neighborhood of half the width of the slots in the uprights and thebracket support extensions of the inner brackets of the shelf unitsextending into the same bracket slots in juxtaposed relation, a leg unitdetachably secured at its inner end to the bottom front portion of eachupright, each of said shelf units further having a rear horizontal framemember extending between the rear portion of said pair of brackets andhaving a top surface adapted to support a shelf, a front horizontalframe member extending between the front ends of said pair of bracketsand having a top surface at an elevation slightly below the top of saidrear horizontal frame member, a molding unit extending around the frontof said front horizontal frame member, said molding unit further havinga pair of vertically spaced rearwardly extending channel-forming walls,the upper surface of the bottom of these walls being in the same planeas the top of said rear horizontal frame member, and a shelf extendinginto the channel formed by said vertically spaced Walls of each of themoldings and extending rearwardly over the top of said rear horizontalframe member.

8. Shelf bracket support structure comprising: three spaced andlaterally aligned hollow uprights each of which is capable of formingeither a right or left hand upright for supporting shelving on eitherside thereof, each of said uprights comprising a pair of laterallyfacing side walls and a front wall having vertically spaced slotstherein, at least one pair of shelf units, one of said shelf unitshaving a pair of brackets with bracket support extensions projectinginto corresponding slots in one of the outer uprights and the centralupright, the other shelf unit having a pair of brackets with bracketsupport extensions extending into corresponding slots in the other outerupright and the central upright, the brackets support extensions beingin the neighborhood of half the width of the slots in the uprights andthe bracket support extensions of the inner brackets of the shelf unitsextending into the same bracket slots in juxtaposed relation, a leg unitdetachably secured at its inner end to the bottom front portion of eachupright, each of said shelf units further having a rear horizontal framemember extending between the rear portion of said pair of brackets andhaving a top surface adapted to support a shelf, a front horizontalframe member extending between the front ends of said pair of bracketsand having a top surface at an elevation slightly below the top of saidrear horizontal frame member, the brackets of each shelf unit havingadjacent the front ends thereof a channel-forming depression thereinforming a channel extending transversely of the bracket, a molding unitextending over the front and top of said front horizontal frame member,said molding unit having a depending flange extending into said channelsformed at the outer ends of said brackets and movable in the channelsinto abutment with the molding of the other shelf unit, said moldingunit further having a pair of vertically spaced rearwardly extendingchannelforming walls, the upper surface of the bottom of these wallsbeing in the same plane as the top of said rear horizontal frame member,and a shelf extending into the channel formed by said vertically spacedwall of each of the moldings and extending rearwardly over the top ofsaid rear horizontal frame member.

9. A knock-down bracket support structure comprising: a pair oflaterally spaced hollow uprights each having laterally facing side wallsand an outer wall for supporting brackets extending from the front ofthe upright, a leg unit extending transversely from the outer wall ofeach upright and detachably secured at its inner end to the bottomportion of the upright, a horizontal inner frame member detachablypositioned between said uprights adjacent the bottom ends thereof, ahorizontal outer frame member detachably secured between thecorresponding outer end portions of said leg units, said outer framemember having means forming a pair of vertically spaced rearwardlyprojecting wall extensions forming a 12 shelf-receiving channel therein,a vertical panel extending between said pair of uprights and overlappingthe outer walls thereof, and a shelf passing into said shelf-receivingchannel and extending to and abutting the bottom of the adjacentvertical panel to hold the same against the outer walls of the uprights.

10. In a bracket support frame structure including laterally spacedhollow uprights each comprising spaced parallel laterally facing sidewalls and a front wall bridging the margins of said side walls, theimprovement comprising; a separate leg unit removably attached to eachof said uprights and extending forwardly therefrom, each leg unit havinga horizontally extending portion with hookreceiving slots thereinadjacent the forward and rearward end thereof, support pins projectinglaterally beyond the facing side walls of said uprights, support pinsprojecting laterally inwardly beyond the facing side walls of said legunits, front and rear frame members respectively extending between theforward ends of the leg units and the uprights, the front portions ofthe rear frame member having hooks adjacent to the leg units which hooksextend into the rearwardmost of said hook-receiving slots therein andrear portions resting upon the projecting ends of the support pinsmounted in said uprights, said front frame member having hooks at therear portions thereof adjacent the bracing leg units which hooks extendinto the forwardmost of said hook-receiving slots in said leg units andfront portions resting upon the projecting ends of said support pinsmounted in said bracing leg units.

11. In a bracket support frame structure including laterally spacedhollow uprights each comprising spaced parallel laterally facing sidewalls and a front wall bridging the margins of said side walls, theimprovement comprising: a separate leg unit removably attached to eachof said uprights and extending forwardly therefrom, each leg unit havinga horizontally extending portion with hook-receiving slots thereinadjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof and at least one pair oflaterally spaced, downwardly extending hooked extensions projectingrearwardly from the rear end of said leg unit, the front wall of eachupright having at least one pair of laterally spaced hook-receivingslots adjacent the side margins thereof, said pair of hooked extensionsat the rear end of each of said leg units extending into saidhookreceiving upright slots and interlocking with the defining edges ofthe lower portions of said slots, a pair of laterally facing andhorizontally aligned openings formed in the opposite side walls of theupright contiguous to the upper portions of said hook-receiving slots,support pins slidably disposed in said pair of horizontally alignedopenings in said uprights adjacent said hook-receiving upright slots andoverlying the hooked extensions of the leg units to prevent the removalthereof from the uprights, each of said pins projecting laterally beyondthe facing side walls of said uprights, the horizontally extendingportions of each of said leg units being provided at the forward endthereof with a pair of laterally facing and horizontally alignedopenings, support pins slidably disposed in the horizontally alignedopenings in said leg units and proectmg laterally inwardly beyond thefacing side walls of said uprights, front and rear frame membersrespectively extending between the forward ends of the leg units and theuprights, the front portions of the rear frame member having hooksadjacent to the leg units which hooks extend into the rearwardrnost ofsaid hook-receiving slots therein and rear portions resting upon theprojecting ends of the support pins mounted in said uprights, said frontframe member having hooks at the rear portions thereof adjacent thebracing leg units which hooks extend into the forwardmost of saidhook-receiving slots in said leg units and front portions resting uponthe projecting ends of said support pins mounted in said bracing legunits.

12. In a bracket support frame structure utilizing at least one uprighthaving vertically spaced bracketreceiving slots in the front thereof,and a bracket having a pair of vertically spaced hook projections at therear thereof adapted to enter, and interlock with the defining walls ofa pair of the upright slots, the improvement comprising: an attachmentmember for supporting the bracket at an angle to its position whensupported directly by said upright, said attachment member comprising avertically oriented member having a pair of vertically spaced hookprojections at the rear thereof interlocking with the defining walls ofa pair of said upright slots, and a pair of vertically spaced recessesin the front thereof and conforming to the shape of and receiving saidbracket projections at the rear of said bracket and being spaced alongan inclined line to support said bracket along a similar incline.

13. In a bracket support frame structure utilizing at least one uprighthaving vertically spaced bracket-receiving slots in the front thereof,and a bracket having a pair of vertically spaced projections at the rearthereof adapted to enter and interlock with the defining walls of a pairof the upright slots, the improvement comprising: an attachment memberfor supporting the bracket at an angle to its position when supporteddirectly by said upright, said attachment member comprising a verticallyoriented sheet metal member having a pair of vertically spacedprojections extending from the rear edge thereof and interlocking withthe defining Walls of a pair of said upright slots, and a pair ofvertically spaced recesses in the front edge thereof and conforming tothe shape of and receiving said bracket projections at the rear of saidbracket and being spaced along an inclined line to support said bracketalong a similar incline.

14. A shelf unit to be supported from a pair of laterally spaceduprights having a front wall having vertically spaced slots therein,said shelf unit comprising a pair of laterally spaced brackets withbracket support extensions adapted to project into corresponding slotsin said uprights, a rear horizontal frame member extending between therear portion of said pair of brackets and having a top surface adaptedto support a shelf, a front horizontal frame member extending betweenthe front ends of said pair of brackets and having a top surface at anelevation slightly below the top of said rear horizontal frame member, amolding unit extending around the front of said front horizontal framemember, said molding unit further having a pair of vertically spacedrearwardly extending channel-forming walls, the upper surface of thebottom of these walls being in the same plane as the top of said rearhorizontal frame member, and a shelf extending into the channel formedby said vertically spaced walls of each of the moldings and extendingrearwardly over the top of said rear horizontal frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,675,287 Sitler Apr. 13, 1954 2,725,667 Ingarra Dec. 6, 1955 2,739,777Schoenhardt Mar. 27, 1956 2,787,382 Williams Apr. 2, 1957 2,803,351 VanWiggeren Aug. 20, 1957 2,887,351 Allender May 19, 1959 2,933,196 ChildsApr. 19, 1960 2,965,242 Grotke Dec. 20, 1960 2,991,889 Levy et a1. July11, 1961 3,044,632 Schild July 17, 1962 3,044,634 Oztekin July 17, 19623,081,718 Shoffner Mar. 19, 1963 3,085,693 Shell Apr. 16, 1963 3,101,681Streater Aug. 27, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 151,870 Australia June 12, 1953821,491 Great Britain Oct. 7, 1959 1,227,316 France Mar. 7, 1960

1. IN A BRACKET SUPPORT FRAME STRUCTURE INCLUDING LATERALLY SPACED,FLOOR-ENGAGING BRACKET SUPPORTING UPRIGHTS HAVING A BRACKET SUPPORTINGFRONT WALL AND SIDE WALLS EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE SIDE MARGINS OFTHE FRONT WALL, AND FRAME MEMBERS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHTS, THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A LEG UNIT REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO EACH OF SAIDUPRIGHTS AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM AND HAVING A FLOOR-ENGAGINGPORTION AT THE FRONT END THEREOF, THE REAR ENDS OF EACH OF SAID LEGUNITS HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED DEPENDING HOOKEDEXTENSIONS, THE BRACKET SUPPORTING UPRIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH EACH LEG UNITHAVING LATERALLY SPACED SLOTS FOR SAID HOOKED EXTENSIONS IN THE FRONTWALL THEREOF, SAID HOOKED EXTENSION OF EACH LEG UNIT PROJECTING INTOASSOCIATED UPRIGHT SLOTS AND INTERLOCKING WITH THE DEFINING WALLS OF THELOWER MARGINS THEREOF, AND MEANS PREVENTING THE REMOVAL OF THE HOOKEDEXTENSIONS OF EACH LEG UNIT FROM THE ASSOCIATED UPRIGHT SLOTS COMPRISINGA PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED, LATERALLY FACING PIN-RECEIVING OPENINGSIN THE SIDE WALLS OF EACH OF SAID UPRIGHTS ADJACENT THE FRON WALLTHEREOF, AND A RETAINER PIN PASSING THROUGH THE ALIGNED PIN-RECEIVINGOPENINGS OF EACH UPRIGHT IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE ASSOCIATED HOOKEDEXTENSIONS OF THE ASSOCIATED LEG UNIT TO PREVENT THE REMOVAL THEREOFFROM THE ASSOCIATED UPRIGHT SLOTS.